Don’t worry, you are not misreading a headline about the Netflix movie Bird Box, but rather seeing the name for the new streaming service from ITV and BBC, B♐ritBox. The broadcasting giants have collaborated to create a new streaming service offering an impressive collection of British box sets and original series on demand. Titles include EastEnders, Fawlty Towers, Doctor Who, and even news shows like Good Morning Britain, which would stre🍰am within 24 hours of airing.
Think Netflix but British centric, 𓆉as ITV CEO Carolyn McCall says: "BritBox will be the home for the best of British creativity-celebrating the best of the past, the best of today and investing in new British originated content in the future."
Shows will var▨y from the past, present, and future British content as well as titles commissioned specifically for BritBox. It’s already a huge hit in the US with over half a million subscribers and looking to launch in the UK in♈ the second half of 2019. So what do people think so far?
The ugly
Many UK viewers slam the idea of payi𝔉ng a subscription when they🃏 already pay their TV licensing fee, which includes iPlayer. Plus, they're firmly loyal to the houses of Netflix and Amazon Prime.
What’s shocking is..we already pay more in licensing fee than we do for Netflix per year..not counting sky or virgin!! Now this🤷♂️f@&k off #BritBox
#BritBox What a load of shite.I survive perfectly on Freeview, ⭕Netflix and Now TV. Nothing else is needed.
BBC and ITV launching #BritBox to rival Netflix🐬 and Amazon Prime pic.twitter.com/RTHfxkeY4J
i don’t understand why #BritBox is being launched in the uk. we pay to watch the programꦍmes through our licences on live tv and get them for free on ip♕layer and hub?
So, #BritBox… a streaming service that you have to pay for… for a back catalogue of programmes we already pay £150 a year for? Programmes that are, for the most part, absolute tosh. Someones having us on aren’t they? 😂All hail @NetflixUK and @AmazonPrime 🙌 pic.twitter.com/MfcOwkwvg5
The slightly nicer
Some are more open minded by countering the payment argument and reminding us IT'S NOT COMPULSORY. There is also the c🀅omparison to buying DVDs of popu🌱lar shows, technically you are still paying twice?
Well this Britbox announcement is interes🎐ting. IPlayer so brilliant, ITV Hub so poor, let’s hope it inherits the right genes. #Britbox
I see people complaining that they won't subscribe to #britbox because 'they already bought the programmes with the licence fee'.So, you've never bought any BBC DVDs/B🍌lu-rays? Should they be free too?No, didn't think so.
I wish someone would gently explain the concept of royalties to everyone who thinks that they personally own ๊the entire BBC back catalogue because they pay their licence fee. #britbox
Why are people moaning about #BritBox? If you don't like it you don't have to pay for it? Just continue watching your Freeview. 🤷♂️
This person gets my reference!
I honestly thought this was some sort of ridiculous B🙈ird Box sequel at first #BritBox pic.twitter.com/X552VzOI0I
A nice(?) nod to current UK affairs
Instead o♊f a #🌠britbox to rival Netflix let's have as #brexitbox that only shows mildly racist programmes from the 70s like Mind Your Language and Love Thy Neighbour.
And an unfortunate rebranding, fitting since the logo looks very familiar...
I’m not entirely suౠre the marketing department have thought through all the rhyming implications #BritBox pic.twitter.com/Aas1xH3LWy
is it just me or does this look like @nationalexpress logo 🤣 #britbox #bbc pic.twitter.com/rvYisu6taj
Forget about BritBox for now, here's everything we know about the new Disney+ streaming service launching later this year.
